S.337, the comprehensive CON reform bill passed by the Senate last year, was amended in a House 3M subcommittee last week. Several last minute amendments were offered by the environmental community and the Administrative Law Court addressing such issues as levels of agency discretion and timeliness for permit issuance, none of which directly deal with CONs.

While some changes were adopted, it is expected that several amendments will be removed in full committee in the coming weeks. The legislation largely streamlines the CON process and contains primarily clean-up language requested by DHEC. The SCMA continues to remind committee members that S.337 (Cleary) is a carefully crafted compromise among the SCMA, SCHA, and DHEC. Existing physician protections currently in place within the CON process remain in this legislation.